- May 1 Gwendolyn Brooks is 1st African American awarded the Pulitzer Prize for poetry
- May 1 Mayor of Brussels reluctantly bans May Day parade
- May 1 New marriage laws enforced in People's Republic of China
- May 1 Pulitzer prize awarded to Rodgers & Hammerstein for musical "South Pacific"
- May 1 WJIM (now WLNS) TV channel 6 in Lansing, MI (CBS) begins broadcasting
- May 2 Carlo Terron's "Giuditta" premieres in Milan
- May 2 Dutch 1st Chamber accept Laws on immigration
- May 2 Dutch PM Malan recognizes South-Africa but not People's Republic of China
Royal Coronation
May 5 Bhumibol Adulyadej crowned King Rama IX of Thailand in the Royal Palace in Bangkok
Historic Event
May 8 President of the Republic of China Chiang Kai-shek asks US for weapons
- May 9 French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman calls for European community EGKS
- May 9 Norman Dello Joio's opera, "The Triumph of St. Joan", premieres in Bronxville, New York
- May 10 1st Netherlands-US telex sent
- May 11 Belgium mine disaster at Borinage, 39 die
- May 11 Eugene Ionesco's first play "La Cantatrice Chauve" (The Bald Soprano) premieres in Paris
Music Premiere
May 12 Darius Milhaud's opera "Bolivar" premieres in Paris
- May 13 Diner's Club issues its 1st credit cards
- May 13 First ever race of the Formula 1 World Drivers Championship is run at Silverstone, England and won by Giuseppe Farina of italy in an Alfa Romeo
- May 14 Pitts Johnny Hopp goes 6 for 6 including 2 HRs
- May 18 "Liar" opens at Broadhurst Theater NYC for 12 performances
- May 18 MLB St. Louis Cardinals baseman Tommy Glaviano makes 3 consecutive errors on grounders
- May 19 NY Times reports of worlds smallest & dumbest mechanical brain
Sports History
May 20 75th Preakness: Eddie Arcaro aboard Hill Prince wins in 1:59.2
Historic Event
May 21 Vietnamese troops of Ho Chi-Minh attack Cambodia
Music Premiere
May 22 Richard Strauss' "4 Last Songs" (4 letzte Lieder) premieres in London
- May 25 Brooklyn Battery Tunnel opens in NYC
- May 27 Morton Gould and Dorothy Field's colonial-era musical "Arms and the Girl", starring Nanette Fabray and Pearl Bailey, closes at 46th St Theater, NYC, after 134 performances
- May 27 Bollingen Prize for poetry awarded to Wallace Stevens
- May 29 3rd British Film and Television Awards (BAFTAs): "Bicycle Thieves" Best Film
Music History
May 29 The Carter family debut on the Grand Ole Opry with Chet Atkins
- May 31 Indianapolis 500: Johnny Parsons becomes first American to win a World Championship event; race stopped after 138 laps (345 miles) due to rain